I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for use in underwater dredging operations and, more particularly, a device for the containment of contaminants during such an underwater dredging operation.
II. Description of the Prior Art
There are many situations in which environmentally hazardous material is spilled or dumped on the bottom of a waterway such as a lake or river bed. In order to remove the environmentally hazardous material, it is necessary to dredge the material on the bottom of the water body in order to remove the contaminants from the bottom.
One problem that arises when dredging contaminants from the bottom of a water body is that the dredging operation creates turbidity in the water. The turbid water contains not only the silt from the water bed, but also the contaminants absorbed or adsorbed onto the silt. Consequently, during the dredging operation, the dredging operation itself may cause contamination of the area adjacent the original contamination. This problem is particularly severe where there is flowing water, such as a river.